Public works crew cleans up sewer spill

The city of Blaine’s public works team recently cleaned up a sewer spill, and their quick response prevented any impact to marine life in Semiahmoo Bay.

On the morning of December 3, an electric crew was installing a power service when they noticed a clogged manhole near the intersection of School Drive and Elm Avenue. Dirty water had seeped through the holes in the manhole cover and toward I-5 and Cain Creek, which flows into Semiahmoo Bay.

The workers quickly notified state authorities as well as a utility crew, which sanitized the affected area to ensure no hazard to fish, shellfish or wildlife.

“Based on the quantity of the waste that we estimated to be spilled, the amount of land that it had to go through before it reached the creek as well as the really quick response by public works, the state of Washington’s department of health decided that the dilution ratio was adequate and we did not need to close the harbor, which was huge,” Blaine public works director Ravyn Whitewolf told councilmembers at the December 9 city council meeting.

Whitewolf continued: “Generally speaking, for any sewage spill, they have a three-week must-close-to-fishing period, so we were greatly relieved that Shellebration could go on. I’m just very, very thankful to my staff. They were just so on top of it, right down from identification to getting it all cleaned up. We were very fortunate that it was coming out of a manhole, so the manhole lid kind of kept the nasties from getting out.”

Whitewolf urged members of the public not to flush rags or wipes, even if the manufacturers say they are flushable. She also warned against improper disposal of FOG, or fats, oils and grease, which tend to solidify in colder temperatures.